Let’s not forget that last year everyone was talking about Texas A&M after Week 1, and no one cared about TCU.
Translation: breathe, everyone. It’s one game — and a long season. One Hail Mary doesn’t change the world; one impressive debut doesn’t, either.
MORE: Time for Week 1 overreactions! | Highs and lows from the week that was
A look at Four In/Four Out for the College Football Playoff field after Week 1:
Four In
1. Ohio State: We have to wait a day for this edition of the Buckeyes, but the return Monday night in Blacksburg, Va., will be worth the wait. It’s there where we’ll be reminded just how good JT Barrett was last season, and just how overlooked he became after Cardale Jones was inserted into the lineup and Ezekiel Elliott ran wild and the Ohio State defense played its best three games of the season.
BENDER: Previewing Ohio State vs. Virginia Tech
2. Auburn: There are issues, no question. But let’s remember that quarterback Jeremy Johnson was playing against a terrific defense, and Louisville might just have the game’s next big star in QB Lamar Jackson — who made Will Muschamp's debut absolutely miserable. Auburn has a pass rush now, and the Tigers can spread the field with Johnson’s big arm.
HAYES: Auburn's uneven performance shouldn't surprise you
3. Baylor: Baylor struggled for two quarters with an SMU team that won once last season. Get beyond that and understand the Bears were playing without star defensive end Shawn Oakman and star safety Orion Stewart. Baylor is loaded on offense, and Seth Russell brings the run game back to the quarterback position — as well as a strong arm for the best receiving corps in the nation.
4. Alabama: Jake Coker did what he was supposed to do at quarterback, and that’s probably the safest, securest thing that could have happened to Alabama in Week 1. He managed the game, he protected the ball. In other words, everything Nick Saban wants from his quarterback. The surprise of the game: the punishing Alabama front seven on defense, the same unit that got exposed in two big games to end last season (Auburn, Ohio State).
BAIRD: Derrick Henry ready to do Tide's heavy lifting
Four Out
5. TCU: Much like Baylor — here we go again with the comparisons — things were too close too early in the season opener. When TCU couldn’t put a solid Minnesota team away in the second half, it highlighted QB Trevone Boykin’s accuracy issues. Much like Baylor (yep, again), when Boykin gets comfortable, an elite receiving corps will cause all kinds of problems the rest of the season.
HAYES: TCU gets everybody's best shot
6. USC: The best sign for USC: It played like a team with zero distractions hanging over it. Cody Kessler looked terrific in one half, and the defense played hard and didn’t get bored in the second half. The Trojans looked extremely focused.
7. Notre Dame: How can you not be impressed by what Notre Dame did to a very good Texas defense? Funny how much better a team plays when its quarterback isn’t gifting fumbles and interceptions. If Malik Zaire plays the rest of the season as well as he played against Texas, the Irish will be in the College Football Playoff.
BENDER: Zaire shows how scary-good Notre Dame can be
8. UCLA: The Bruins, with a big asterisk. UCLA is loaded, but freshman QB Josh Rosen isn’t going to play near perfect every week. He’s going to struggle, he’s going to make mistakes. The question: How does he respond, and how does UCLA pick up after him?